Frequently, it is desired to have protective apparel for human use. Typically, such apparel may be so weighty as to be, or become with extended use, burdensome and tiring to the wearer. This is particularly true when the weight of the apparel is borne primarily and/or unremittantly by the wearer's shoulders. For example, persons exposed to x-rays typically wear aprons and/or other apparel made from material having a large lead and/or other heavy metal content, designed to absorb harmful radiation to which the user might otherwise be exposed. Such aprons may weigh in the range of about 8 to about 25 pounds. Since users, such as x-ray technicians, radiologists, etc. frequently have to wear them for extended periods of time, they often become tiring and even painful, particularly when the sole or primary support is substantially or constantly one portion of the wearer's body. The shoulders, because of their physiological structure and their relatively high position on the body as a whole, are particularly susceptable to these effects.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide means for selectively distributing the weight of heavy protective apparel.
Another object is to provide such means in a form which is adaptable for use by different persons whose body size and volumetric distribution differs from that of other users.
Still another objective is to provide means satisfying the foregoing objective which are inexpensive and readily adaptable to standard apparel production equipment and methods.